A DAY IN THE LIFE…

WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR A FEMALE ATHLETE TO BREAK EIGHT HOURS FOR IRON DISTANCE? LUCY CHARLES-BARCLAY REFLECTS ON A COVID-TYPICAL TOUGH 24 HOURS…

z 6:30am Reece and I have a bowl of porridge with dried fruit and nuts plus a drizzle of honey, all washed down with a cup of tea and then coffee. z 7:15am Drive to London Aquatics Centre. It’s a relatively easy swim with many drills using as many toys as we can. z 7:45am Core stability beside the pool. We do core work as a warm-up for most of our swim sessions. z 8am The swim. As elites, we have access to this pool and swim here most days. We’re sharing it with the GB diving team and often swim in their pool when not in use as the main one’s not been heated for a year so it’s freezing. After, I’ll shower, dry my hair and hit the track for the second session of the day. z 10am It’s 10 x 400m. I complete each in around 73secs, which is quicker than last week. It’s a brutal session and makes you feel sick. z 12:10pm Drive home. Make a protein shake with berries and ice cream for extra calories as I always feel a little sick after a run session like that so eat later. Take my dog, Lola, for a walk. z 2pm Bath time. Once bathed, I have one of my Fresh Fitness Food meals. This one’s chilli chicken, masala roasted potatoes and cauliflower with coconut. They deliver daily to the door. z 3pm Coffee. Zwift race series at 7pm so caffeine now. I then chill for an hour before heading to the gym early to ensure all the technology’s working properly. z 9pm It’s a good effort, fuelled on Red Bull and Candy Kittens! The first bike featured the Volcano climb of 6-8mins. Run, felt really good. The last race was a sufferfest. I killed myself to beat Meredith [Kessler]. It’s a good end to the day. z 11:15pm Bedtime.